Fuse-plug



W. COTTRELL.

FUSE PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23. 1920.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

lill! mllll zof WILLIAM COTTRELL, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FUSE-PLUG'.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

Application filed April 23, 1920. Serial No. 376,109.

To all 'whom z'zf may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CofrrnELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at hicago, in the county of Cook of Illinois, have invented newa d useful Improvements in-Fuse-Plugs, of which the following is a full,clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

y invention relates to fuse plugs, and more specifically to fuse plugsprovided with a fuse support or carrier on which are mounted a pluralityof fuses which can be successively brought into the circuit.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a fuse plug of thecharacter indicated which shall be simple in construction and eicient inoperation and easy to manuacture.

Further objects will appear from the detailed description to follow and`from the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which I have shown two embodiments of my invention-Figure 1 is an axial section of a fuse plug showing the circuit.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the plug shown in Fig. 1 showing the relativearrangement of the fuses;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the rotatable fusecarrier;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 showing the springcontact;

Fig. 5 is an axial section of a modification showing my invention inconnection with a quick detachable fuse support;

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the fuse port shown in F ig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a detail view showing a modification of the fuse connection.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and first to the modificationof Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 I have here shown a fuse plug comprising aninsertible portion 10 and a fuse sup- -carrier 11 rotatably mounted withrespect The portion 10 comprises an in` thereto. sulating base 12 andcenter tacts 13 and 14 and shell consupported by the base 12. e fusecarrier 11 is rotatably mounted with respect to the insertible portion10 by means of a screw 15 which extends through nd State .tween theeyelets an opening in the fuse carrier 11 and is threaded into thecenter contact 13. This screw 15 also forms part of the electricalcircuit of the plug.

he fuse carrier l1 comprises an insulating base 16 and a plurality offuses 17 supported by the base and located in curved grooves 18 in thebase. Extending through openings 19 in the base are a plurality ofhollow rivets or eyelets 20 having their upper ends seated indepressions 21 in the base 16. The base 16 is also provided with aplurality of openings 22 through which extend eyelets 23, the fuses 17being connected beand 23, as shown in Fig. 2. spring contact tongue orfinger 24 is electrically connected with the shell contact 14 in anysuitable manner, and is located in a position to snap down into thedepressions 21 as the fuse carrier 11 is rotated. The screw 15 extendsthrough an opening in the U-shaped `spring contact 25 which is seated ina recess 26 in the base 12 and is located in position to engage theupper ends of the eyelets 23 as the fuse carrier 11 is rotated.

The insulating base 16 is provided with a chamber 27 which is closed bymeans of an insulating transparent plate 28 of mica or other suitablematerial, through which the fuses 17 are visible. This mica plate 28 isheld on the base 16 by means of' eyelets 29. The depressions 21 intowhich the contact 24 snaps are each provided with an abrupt edge 30 onthe one side (in order that the contact may be suddenly made) and with asloping edge carrier 11 may be rotated to bring another fuse intoposition (the spring contact 24 riding up the sloping edge 31 as thecarrier rotates).

The carrier 11 is provided with a flange or skirt portion 32, theinsulating base 12 being correspondingly recessed to receive the flange32. The circuit through the plug is from the center contact 13 throughthe screw 15, spring contact 25, eyelet 23, fuse 17, eyelet 20 andspring contact 24 to the shell contact 14.

In using the plug the insertible portion 10 is screwed into a socket andthe fuse carrier l1 is turned to a position in which the con- 31 inorder that the y tacts 24 and 25 engage corresponding eyelets 20 and 23.When it is desired to bring a new fuse into position the carrier 11 isrotated, the contact 24 riding up thesloping side 31 of the depression21 until the succeeding depression 21 is brought into position beneaththe spring contact 24 when the latter will snap down to engage anotherone ofl the eyelets 20. It will be noted that a large vchamber 27is'provided to take care of the gases-resulting from blowing of' theVfuses and that these gases can escape through the eyelets 20 and 23 andthence through the space between the insulating bases 12 and 16. Theflange 32 is provided to prevent these escaping gases from burning thefingers of the person who is handling the plug and this makes a tortuouspath for the gases and reduces their temperature.

By providing the depressions 21 with one abrupt edge the contact isquickly made thus preventing the contact from beino burned. One of theedges 31 may bemade s o ping, as after the fuse is blown there is nocurrent and no danger of arcing as the contact moves away from theeyelet.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown myv invention in connection with a fuseplug in which the support is'non-rotatably mounted with respect to theplug portion and in which a rotatable switch device is provided forsuccessively making connection with the Jfuses. In this modification Ihave also shown a quick detachable connection between the plug portionand the support whereby the .support can be readily replaced by a newone after the fuses have been all used up. The fuse plug of thismodification comprises a fuse support 34, a plug portion 35 to which thesupport 34 is non-rotatably secured, a quick detachable connection 36between the plug and support, and a rotatable switch device 37 forsuccessively making connection with the fuses. The plug 35v comprises aninsulating base 38 and shell and center contacts 39 and 40 supportedthereby. The base 38 has a reduced portion 41 about which the switchdevice 37 is rotatably mounted and is provided with a. rectangularrecess 42 to accommodate the connection 36 and has an axial opening 43to provide for the electrical and mechanical connection between the plugportion 'and carrier. The shell contact V39 is reduced, as shown at 44,to provide acontact for the contact carried by the switch device 37. A.pin 46 "is located in the opening 43 and is provided with a shoulder 47for engagement with a shoulder 48 in the opening 43 and has a screwthreaded connection with the center contact 40. The lower end of the pin46 isprovided' with a rounded head or knob 49 located in the recess 42for engage' ment with the spring fingers of a U-shaped contact 50 whichis connected with the carrier 34 by means of ,a bolt or screw 51, thehead of which engages a star shaped plate 52 of conducting material towhich they ends of the fuses 17 are electrically connected. With theexception of the star shapedplate 52 the parts of the fuse support 34are substantially the same as the parts of the fuse carrier 11 of cessedas shown at-56 to provide for the movement ofthe contact 54 as it ridesup the sloping edge 31 of the recess 21, and is also recessed as shownat 57 to accommodate the flange 32 on the fuse carrier.

It will be noted that the connection between the support 34 and plugportion 35 is such as to prevent relative rotation therebetween, as therectangular recess 42 (see Fig. 6) will prevent rotation of the U'-`shaped contact 50 therein and the bolt or screw 51 is drawn tightlyenough to prevent relative rotation between the spring contact 50 andthe support 34. i It is obvious that, if desired, a connection betweenthe plug portion and support of Fig. 5, similar to the connectionbetween the plug portion and carrier of Fig. 1, could be substituted forthe quick detachable connection shown. The detachable connection,however, enables a new fuse support 34 to be quickly substituted for thesupport, the fuses of which have been used up.

It will be observed that the plug portion 35 and the rotatable switchdevice 37 `will not need to be replaced but may be used with the newfuse support. The circuit 46, contact 50, screw 51, plate 52, fuse 17,

.eyelet l20, and contact 54 to the reduced portion 44 of the shellcontact 39.

In using the plug the parts may be assembled as shown in Fig. 5 and theplug portion 35 screwed into the receptacle using the fuse support 34 asa thumb piece. When it is desired to make connection with a new fuse theswitch device 37 is rotated by grasping the thumb ring 53, the contact54 riding up the sloping side 31 of the depression 21 and then snappingdown off of the abrupt edge 30 of the succeeding depression 21 vintocontact with the upper end of the eyelet 20.

In Fig. 7 I have shown'a modification ot the fuse connection in which aninsulating fuse support 58 is provided witha plurality of splrallyextending grooves 59 to receive tween the bottom of the vrecess 61 andthe head of the screw 62, the clamping of the fuses by the head of thescrew rendering soldering unnecessary.

The fuses 17 may have their ends led around the eyelets 20 the ends ofthe eyelets being bent over to engage the fuses firmly to hold them inposition, thus rendering soldering unnecessary here also.

The shape of the recesses 21 not only permits a contact to be madequickly and enables the spring contact 24 to ride out of the recessesbut also prevents relative rotation between the springv contact 24 andthe fuses in the wrong direction.

The fact that the gases can escape easily from the chamber 27 throughthe eyelets 20 and '23 lessens the strain on the eyelets 29. which holdthe mica plate 28 in place so that a lighter fastening can be used forthe mica plate than would otherwise be the case.

The use of the eyelets 29 for holding the mica plate in positioneliminates the necessity for using a sheet metal cap, now commonly usedfor this purpose.

It will be notedv that all of the fuses are located in a common chamberwhich enables the chamber to be made much smaller than would be the caseif an individual chamber were provided for each fuse.

This application is a continuation in part of my application No. 40,673iiled July 19, 1915, the disclosure being the same in both cases. It isnow intended that the generic claims shall be 'placed in 'this case andcanelel from my co-pending application No.

llaving thus described my invention what claim as new and `desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A fuse plug comprising a plug portionhaving contactsfor engaging the contacts of a receptacle, a fuse supportcomprising `an insulating member, a ported by said member, means forsecuring said member to said plug, said member having a face on the.'side toward the plug portion, .la plurality of recesses in said face,

contacts in said recesses connected to said fuses, and a spring contactfor snapping into said recesses to engage said contacts.

2. A fuse plug comprising a plug portion having contacts for engagingthe contacts of a receptacle, a fusesupport comprising an insulatingmember, a plurality of fuses :upported by saidmember, means for securingsaid member to said plug, said member hav-l ing a face on the sidetoward the plug portion, a pluralityof recesses in said face, contactsin said recesses connected to said fuses, and a spring contact forsnapping into said lthe blowing of the plurality of fuses suprecesses toengage said contacts, said recesses each havlng an abrupt shoulder offwh1ch said spring contact snaps into engagement with the contact in therecess.

3. A fuse plug comprlslng a plug portlon vhaving contacts for engagingthe contacts of a receptacle, a fuse support comprising an insulatingmember, a plurality of fuses supported by said member, means forsecuring said member to said plug, said member having a face on the sidetoward the plug portion, a pluralityl of recesses in said face, contactsin said recesses connected to said fuses, a spring contact for snappinginto said recesses to engage said contacts, said recesses each having anabrupt shoulder off which said spring contact snaps into engagement withthe contact in the recess, and a sloping shoulderk on which said springcontact rides. i

4. A multiple fuse plug comprising an insulating fuse'support, aplurality of fuses supported thereby, said support having a chamber toreceive the gases generated by the blowing of the fuses, said supporthaving openings leading from said chamber and evelets in said openingsconnected to said fuses, said eyelets serving for the escape of thegases from said chamber.

5. A multiple fuse plug comprising an insulating fuse support, aplurality of fuses supported thereby, said support having a chamber toreceive the gases generated by the blowing of the fuses, said supporthaving openings leading from said chamber, eyelets in said openingsconnected to said fuses, said eyelets serving for the escape of thefrases from said chamber, and a spring contact for engaging the eyelets.

6. A multiple fuse plug comprising an insulating fuse support, aplurality of fuses supported thereby, said support' having a chamber toreceive the gases generated by fuses, said support having openingsleading from said chamber, evelets in said openings connected to saidfuses, said eyelets serving for the escape of the gases from saidchamber, and a spring contact for engaging the ends of the eyelets, saidsupport having a plurality of recesses in which the ends of the eyeletsare located.

7. A -fuse plug comprising a plug portion having contacts forengagingthe contacts of a receptacle, a fuse support comprising an insulatingmember, a plurality of fuses supported by said member, means forsecuring said member to-said plug, said member having a face on thesidetoward the plug portion, a plurality of recesses in said face,contacts in said recesses connected to said fuses, and a spring contactfor snapping into said recesses to engage said contacts, and to preventrotation in one direction thereby insuring a good Contact.

8. A fuse plug comprising a plug portion g@ A f 1,355,314i

having contacts Vfor engaging the contacts plurality of recesses in saidface, contacts in of a receptacle, a fuse support comprising saidrecesses connected to said fuses, and a an insulating member, aplurality of fuses Contact for extending into said recesses to 10supported by said member, means for securengage said contacts.

ing said member to said plug to rotate With In Witness whereof I havehereunto subrespect to said plug, said member having a scribed my name.v

face on the side toward the plug portion, a WILLIAM COTTRELL.

